My life in Steamboat Springs and other places
(and plenty of opinion, which you're free to ignore)

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Powder weekend

When Saturday and Sunday are both powder days with a total of nearly two feet of new snow that must make it a "powder weekend". A bit more crowded than a powder Monday, but still a lot of fun.

Today was a quick shot - out at 8.30 am when the Thunderhead Express chair opened and finished by 10.30 am. I need to travel this afternoon (back to DC for two days) and my legs are still feeling the effects of yesterday's marathon session (5 hours of hard skiing almost non-stop).

It was a race from the top of the BC Chair to Sunnyside for first tracks. I lost out to a couple of guys on telemark skis but still got a nice untracked line, and was the only one who took the cut off to the left towards Moonlight.

Two O'Clock was a little wind blown and crusty in places, but in amongst the trees on Shadows and Lights Out it was just perfect (there's a reason this is my favourite run).

Even the massive bumps on Whiteout - Steamboat's quintessential bump run (I don't think they ever groom this one) - and BC Liftline were no match for the deep powder. It almost feels like cheating skiing it on a day like today!

Even on the lower mountain at 10 am there were nice powder lines to be had - in the trees beside Valley View and also on See Ya which I enjoyed so much I went back for seconds while waiting for my ride.